UPDATED: Billdidit announces further layoffs at local plant

Cape Breton Post

Published: Sep 17, 2014 at midnight

Updated: Oct 02, 2017 at 11:51 a.m.

['In this file photo from December 2011, Percy Paris, left, Nova Scotia minister of economic and rural development, gets a quick drumming lesson from Bill Coady, local inventor behind the Coady Clutch, shortly after Paris announced a provincial loan of $300,000 for Billdidit Inc. The Sydport-based drum hardware company has apparently reached the end of the line: Billdidit Inc. will sell off its assets in an online auction later this month.']

SYDNEY — Stagnant sales have led to further layoffs at Cape Breton drum company Billdidit Inc.

A release from a public relations firm for the company this week indicated the company was 'very disappointed to announce additional layoffs' at the Edwardsville based plant.

"The sad reality is that there are no orders coming in and that means no revenue," Billdidit representatives indicated in the press release.

"These employees were valuable members of the Billdidit team. Billdidit Inc. is working on a strategy to re-build their customer base and increase sales and revenue."

At this point any and all orders are required, according to a follow up response from the PR firm for the company.

The layoffs come one week after Billdidit announced it had resumed operations after it was forced to lay off 16 employees three weeks ago following news that the Atlantic Canada Opportunities Agency had pulled a $500,000 repayable loan.

Earlier, ACOA had stated that the loan was pulled because it became aware of issues associated with the project. ACOA has not indicated the nature of those issues.

Last week's company statement regarding resumption of operations with five employees said the resumption showed the company was confident moving on with its go-forward strategy.

The latest round of layoffs affected three from the group recently hired back.

A spokesperson for the company indicated Billdidit is in the early phases of developing its strategy to rebuild a customer base and increase sales but could not share details at this time.

When asked about any news from ACOA on the status of the pulled loan, the Cape Breton Post was told that conversations with stakeholders are ongoing but Billdidit representatives are unsure what the outcome will be at this point.

Billdidit Inc. began operations in 2009, and designs and sells a line of innovative drum equipment. It's flagship product is the Coady Clutch system. The company also provides design assistance, 3-D printing, advanced computer-controlled machining and component electroplating.

The company was acquired by Sabian this year, an internationally renowned cymbal designer and manufacturer that now has a controlling interest in the company.

It had also recently had secured $1.5 million to expand its local operations, one-third of which was in the form of the ACOA repayable loan that was pulled.

A release from a public relations firm for the company this week indicated the company was 'very disappointed to announce additional layoffs' at the Edwardsville based plant.

"The sad reality is that there are no orders coming in and that means no revenue," Billdidit representatives indicated in the press release.

"These employees were valuable members of the Billdidit team. Billdidit Inc. is working on a strategy to re-build their customer base and increase sales and revenue."

At this point any and all orders are required, according to a follow up response from the PR firm for the company.

The layoffs come one week after Billdidit announced it had resumed operations after it was forced to lay off 16 employees three weeks ago following news that the Atlantic Canada Opportunities Agency had pulled a $500,000 repayable loan.

Earlier, ACOA had stated that the loan was pulled because it became aware of issues associated with the project. ACOA has not indicated the nature of those issues.

Last week's company statement regarding resumption of operations with five employees said the resumption showed the company was confident moving on with its go-forward strategy.

The latest round of layoffs affected three from the group recently hired back.

A spokesperson for the company indicated Billdidit is in the early phases of developing its strategy to rebuild a customer base and increase sales but could not share details at this time.

When asked about any news from ACOA on the status of the pulled loan, the Cape Breton Post was told that conversations with stakeholders are ongoing but Billdidit representatives are unsure what the outcome will be at this point.

Billdidit Inc. began operations in 2009, and designs and sells a line of innovative drum equipment. It's flagship product is the Coady Clutch system. The company also provides design assistance, 3-D printing, advanced computer-controlled machining and component electroplating.

The company was acquired by Sabian this year, an internationally renowned cymbal designer and manufacturer that now has a controlling interest in the company.

It had also recently had secured $1.5 million to expand its local operations, one-third of which was in the form of the ACOA repayable loan that was pulled.